EFFECTIVENESS OF MENTAL HEALTH CAMPAIGN DELIVERED BY MOBILE TEXT MESSAGING COMPARED WITH HANDBILLS ON THE HELP-SEEKING BEHAVIOUR OF ADOLESCENTS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN IBADAN

Abstract

One in every four individuals develops one or more mental health disorders at some stage in life and more than 450 million suffer from mental disorders worldwide (WHO 2002). Thus, there is an urgent need for the reduction of the burden of mental illness worldwide and bridge the wide mental health gap which is more prominent in sub-Saharan Africa. Reports indicate that more than 60% of young people that meet the diagnosis for depression and anxiety did not seek professional help because of lack of knowledge of symptoms of mental illness and mental health services (Gulliver et al, 2010). Specifically in Nigeria, the prevalence of mental illnesses across all ages is estimated as 20% (Gureje et al, 2006) with onset either in childhood or adolescent age group (Omigbodun et al 2009). Information and advocacy are two of the four core strategies proposed by the World Health Organization in closing the mental health treatment gap. The role of education and communication cannot be over emphasized; education in terms of what constitute mental disorder, available treatments and structures as well as reduction of stigma attached to mental health disorders. (WHO 2002). Provision of evidenced based materials and programs to increase the adolescents mental health literacy was identified as the way forward (Gulliver at al 2010). Methodology The study is designed as a quasi-experimental study, carried out in Ibadan capital city of Oyo state in south-western part of Nigeria.3 private secondary schools were randomly selected into two-experimental and one control group. Mental health information was reinforced in the intervention groups by the use of text messaging and Hand bills. A focus group discussion was carried out to determine the content of the intervention. Assessments were done at baseline followed by a mental health related health talk and at sixth weeks. The sociodemographic characteristics of the three groups were compared using multinomial regression. Between group comparisons of the help seeking behaviour scores was carried out using ANOVA followed by a post hoc test, while the paired t test was used for within-group mean help seeking behaviour scores pre and post intervention for each of the groups. The ANCOVA was used in order to determine the effect of the intervention. Effect sizes will be statistically determined. All levels of significance were set at 0.05, 95% confidence interval. Data were analysed using the statistical package for the social sciences SPSS (17.0) (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) Results There was no significant difference in the sociodemographic characteristics of the three groups. Similarly no difference in the help-seeking behaviour of respondents at baseline, it was noticed that the majority of respondents will rather seek help from informal sources, 118 representing 63% of the participants will rather seek help from parents, friend and relatives. At six weeks assessment there is a significant difference in the help seeking behaviour of the experimental groups over the control phone >handbills>control. Conclusions The study has demonstrated that mobile phone text message is more effective than the use of handbills in improving the help-seeking behaviour of adolescents